WITH OPEN EYES, EARS, AND HEART WE CAN HEAR
I have often thought that it would have been wonderful to have lived in the time of Jesus. To have been able to have walked with Him and to have heard His voice. How amazing that must have been! I also imagine that it was probably scary when a bush started burning before your eyes with a voice coming from it, or if a donkey suddenly started talking to you like Balaam’s did. Even though we don’t live in those times, that doesn’t mean that the Lord is not talking to us.
I listened to a sermon this week from my favorite online pastor, Michael Todd, and he was talking about ways that the Lord spoke to us. Even though I know that the Lord talks to us, I still longed for the actual verbalization of His voice. I am so afraid that it is “me” speaking to myself and that it is “my” will that I am following.
This week, I read in Judges about someone else who wondered if it was really God he was hearing. Gideon was out threshing wheat, minding his own business, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him. I am sure that Gideon was a little taken back when the angel called him a “mighty warrior” and then proceeded to tell him that the Lord was going to use him to save Israel.
Gideon was surprised at the message, and he probably wondered if this person before him was really an angel or someone playing a trick on him.
Judges 6:17
17 Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.
Once Gideon got his sign, the angel disappeared, and Gideon realized that He had been talking to an angel of the Lord. He was frightened, but the Lord told him to have peace and not to be afraid. Later that night, the Lord talked to Gideon and told him what he should do.
I have no idea if this was an audible voice, a voice in Gideon’s mind, or even a dream, but Gideon obeyed and did the will of the Lord. This tells me that Gideon was a believer. He had seen an angel of the Lord, and he had heard the Lord’s voice. Yet, he still had some lingering doubts because he again asked for confirmation in verses 36-40.
Judges 6:36-40
36 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
I don’t think that Gideon was testing the Lord; he knew that the Lord was more than capable. Instead, Gideon asked the Lord to confirm that what he was hearing was exactly what the Lord wanted him to do. You will notice in verse 39 he pleads with the Lord. He asked the Lord to not be angry with him for asking for that confirmation.
This week, Joe and I had decided to buy something. We had talked about it for months and finally decided to move forward. Yesterday was the day that we were supposed to go and make the purchase. But, Friday night I kept wondering if this was the direction that the Lord wanted me to go.
I remembered reading about Gideon earlier, so I prayed that the Lord would open my eyes, my ears, and my heart so that I could “hear” His will for me. The next morning, I prayed the same thing before I got out of bed. Then I headed down the hall to fix myself a cup of coffee.
As I walked into the kitchen, Joe said, “come in here and let’s talk.” He then went on to say that he didn’t think that this was the right time to be buying anything, and I am sure that he said some more things, but I had already stopped listening. I had zoned out because I was rejoicing. Joe thought that I was mad or irritated because he said that we didn’t need to proceed. But, I was thrilled instead because I knew that the Lord had answered my prayers.
I would have been aggravated in the past because I wouldn’t have associated Joe’s sudden change of heart with the Lord’s will. Instead, I knew that the Lord had used Joe to talk to me because I had asked for a sign. How many of us miss that it is the Lord speaking to us? We chalk things up to being a coincidence or bad timing when it is actually the Lord.
This week, invite the Lord into all of your decisions. Ask him to guide you in the direction that He has in mind for you. And then actively seek His guidance. I can’t wait to hear all of the ways that the Lord spoke to you. Write them down so you can share them with everyone next week. Or, if you already have an example, please share it with all of us here today.
To God Goes The Glory!
Have Blessed Day!
Loved your testimony today about God using Joe to help make a decision!
Terry, you never know who or how the Lord will speak to us.
Love this! Thank you!
I am glad that you enjoyed the post, Pam.
A lovely post Tania.
I don’t know that I have heard the Lord’s voice but there are times that I know that he is directing me.
Hope you are having a lovely weekend.
That is how I feel also, Fiona. I feel His guidance, and it is up to us to follow.
I just started following you a few weeks ago and know the lord had a part in that. Thank you for bringing the scriptures along with your fashion. You are a light.
Alison, I am thankful that the Lord led you to me!
Thank you for this.
I am glad that you enjoyed the post!
Thanks for this great devotion! I need to listen more for God’s voice .
Sandra, I am sure that is what most of us need to do!
When in my 20s, I was diagnosed with inoperable cancer. Shocking, as to others, I looked to be the picture of health and in excellent physical shape. Due to the size of the mass in my chest, a clinical trial was my best treatment option. The side effects of the first chemo treatment (three different drugs) were brutal, and I became very sick and weak. Around this time, the Lord spoke to me in a vision one night. In this vision, I was watching myself in a dire life threatening situation (on a barge at night – I am not a swimmer) pleading to be saved. I was lifted out of the darkness and from the danger of the water and placed on land, when it suddenly became daylight. I knew then that the Lord was telling me that I would survive cancer. Shortly thereafter, I was admitted to the hospital for a serious infection. After a battery of tests, my oncologist was beaming as he walked down the hall to my room. Despite being very ill, the tests showed that the mass in my chest had dramatically shrunk – more than ever expected after one test treatment. The remainder of the journey was not easy by any means but I knew what the end result would be, as God had already told me that night in the vision. Due to my experience with cancer, I’ve been able to help many other cancer patients over the years. I am so blessed! Praise God!
Liz, there are times when we wonder why something happens to us. In this case, it sounds like you were used so that you could share your testimony with others. It sure made an impact on me!
I love this! Thank you Tania!
Have a blessed day, LuAnn!
I loved this! Tania, girl you are blessed and Highly favored! Keep doing what your doing! I so enjoy “Father and Fashion”!!!
I am so glad that you enjoy both aspects of my blog.
I was driving on the freeway early one day in LA & I started to speed up & I heard this voice loud & clear-“Take your foot off the gas!” I did & then proceeded to watch this other car spin out of control cross the lane right in front of me & crash on the side. I sailed through it without a scratch, but if I had sped up I would probably have been killed. I know it was the Lord who saved me.
I had a similar experience. I was waiting at a traffic light, and when the light turned green, the car in front of me proceeded thru the intersection. I normally would have followed, but a “little voice” told me to wait – so I counted to three, then watched in horror as a car ran the red light. If I had not waited, my car would have been t-boned and I would have been severely injured or possibly killed. Thank you, Lord!
Oh my! This is amazing! How great is our GOD!!!
Holly, I was reading all of the testimonies of everyone, and it just gives me chills.